Federal law now criminalizes coercive religious fees and financial penalties

What it does

This bill makes it a federal crime to charge fees, fines, or financial penalties to people based on their participation in, membership in, or refusal to participate in any religious organization, theology, or denomination. Violations carry up to 1 year in prison for fees under $1,000 and up to 3 years for larger amounts. The bill also criminalizes denying goods or services to someone for not paying such a prohibited fee. Religious organizations may still request voluntary contributions.

Why we flagged it

The bill's operative mechanism is a criminal prohibition on coercive religious fees and denial of services for nonpayment. It is a straightforward civil-rights protection measure targeting financial coercion in religious contexts, not a deregulation, subsidy, or narrow carve-out.

What the text implies

• The bill's scope depends on how courts interpret 'based on' religious participation—it may capture indirect financial consequences (e.g., employment termination for refusing to join a religious organization) or remain narrowly tailored to direct fees.
• The RICO amendment (Section 3) adds § 251 to the predicate offenses for organized crime prosecution, potentially enabling federal racketeering charges against organizations that systematically impose prohibited fees.

The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.

Who it affects

The bill protects citizens from coercive financial demands tied to religious participation or non-participation, a form of religious coercion. It preserves voluntary contributions while criminalizing compulsory fees, strengthening religious freedom and protecting vulnerable individuals from financial exploitation.